Fastener



Oct. 29, 1935. H. M. CAMPBELL 5 FASTENER I Filed Feb. 6, 1934 ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 29, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

This invention relates to fasteners, and'more particularly to clothespins made entirely of metal as an advantageous substitute for the wooden pins at present in common use.

= It is an object of the present invention to provide a fastener for use in association with a suspended line of a construction so simple that it may be produced at a low cost for sale in competition with other fasteners at present in use.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a fastener which is readily applied to or removed from a line without disturbing the connection of the latter with the supports between which it is stretched and which may remain permanently on the line, whereby to minimize the loss frequently occurring in the use of separate fasteners.

Other objects reside in the particular construction of the pin, as shown in its preferred form in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a fastener in the form of a clothespin made in accordance with the present invention, in its operative position on a clothes-line,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the fastener in the position on the line it occupies when not in use, and

Figure 3isan underneath view of the fastener.

Similar reference characters designate correspending parts throughout the views.

In the drawing a suspended line is shown at A, and the fastener of the present invention is designated in its entirety by the letter B.

The fastener, as shown, is made of a single length of resilient metal, preferably wire, and it comprises two oppositely projecting clamping members 5 connected by a loop 6 and terminating in diverging thumb-pieces 1. 7

In the use of the fastener the clamping members are pressed against the line by the resiliency of the loop which functions as a spring to produce the clamping action which secures clothes or other articles in suspended relation to the line. In order to disengage the clamping members from the suspended articles, the thumb-pieces are pressed together, and after this disengagement the fastener when not in use may be suspended from the line by means of the spring loop as shown in Figure 2, the loop thus serving as a suspensio'n member.

Specifically, the construction of the fastener is as follows: The loop 5 is formed by bending the median portion of a length of wire in arcuate form until the parts at opposite sides of the loop are closed together as at 8. The wire is then bent in opposite directions at an angle to the sides of the loop and is then doubled to produce the clamping members 5. The side pieces of these clamping members are connected at their outer extremities by a transverse part 9 which may be 5 slightly curved to conform with the contour of the line. From these cross-pieces 9, the sides of the clamping members converge to a point of divergence adjacent the sides of the loop at the meeting point 8 thereof, and the wire is then bent 10 at an angle to the clamping members to provide the diverging thumb-pieces.

In order to provide for the ready and dependable manipulation of the thumb-pieces without discomfort to the hand of the user, the extreme end 15 portions of the wire are bent in loop-shaped or substantially triangular form.

In order to apply the fastener to the line, the ends of the sides of the loop at their meeting point 8 are pressed against the line, thereby causing 0 them to spring apart to provide an entrance for the line to the interior of the loop, and in this manner any number of the fasteners may be applied to or removed from the line while the latter is in its stretched condition between the 25 supports from which it is suspended. The spring action of the loop causes the ends of the members 5 to clampingly engage articles placed between their end pieces 9 and the line, and when it is desired to remove the articles, the clamping mem- 30 bers are disengaged from the articles by pressing the thumb-pieces I toward each other.

When the fastener is not in use, it is suspended from the line by means of the loop 6 as shown in Figure 2, or it may be removed or re- 35 placed by passing the line through the entrance formed at the point at which the sides of the loop are in closest proximity to each other.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 40 l. A fastener made of a single length of metal and bent to provide a resilient loop composed of a single convolution, the sides of which are brought together to provide a space for the entrance of a line in a direction transverse to the 45 longitudinal extent of the line, clamping members projecting oppositely from the sides of the loop, each having two sides connected by a transverse part, and thumb-pieces formed by the end portions of the length of metal at the ends of one 50 of the sides of the clamping members.

2. A fastener made of a single length of metal and bent to provide a resilient p composed of a single convolution, the sides of which are brought together to provide a space for the en- 55 10 A trance for a line, clamping members projecting oppositely from the sides of'the loop, each havtrance for a line, clamping members projecting oppositely from the sides of the loop, each having two converging sides connected by a transverse part, and thumb-pieces formed by the end portions of the length of metal at the ends of one of the sides of the clamping members.

1 3. A fastener made of a single length of metal and bent to provide a resilient loop' composed of a single convolution, the sides of which are brought together'to provide a space for the'ening two sides connected by a transverse part, and thumb-pieces formed by the doubled end portions of the length of metal at the ends of one of the sides of the clamping members. 7

4. A fastener made of a single length of metal 7 and bent to provide a resilient 100p composed of a single convolution, the sides of which are, brought together to provide an entrance for a line, clamping members projecting oppositely from the sides of the loop, each having two' sides connected by a transverse part, and loop-shaped thumb-pieces formed by the end portions of the length of metal at the ends of one of the sides of the clamping members.

5. A fastener made of a single length'of metal and bent to provide a resilient loop composed of a single convolution, the sides of which are brought together to provide an entrance for a line, clamping'members projecting divergingly V fromthe sides of the loop, each having two sides connected by a transverse part, and thumb-pieces formed by the end portions of the length of metal at the ends of one of the sides of the clamping members; I

6. A fastener made of a single length of metal and bent to provide a resilient loop composed of a single convolution, the sides of which are brought together to provide an entrance for a "line, clamping members projecting oppositely from the sides of the loop, each having two sides connected by a transverse part, and thumb-pieces extending divergingly from the ends of one of the sides of the clamping members.

7. A fastener made of a single length of metal and bent to provide a resilient loop composed of a single convolution, the sides of which are brought together to provide an entrance for a members.

line, clamping members projecting oppositely from the sides of the loop, each having two sides connected by a transverse part, and thumb-pieces extending, divergingly from the ends of fine of the sides'of the clamping members and bent in 5 substantially loop-shaped form.

8. A fastener made of a single length of metal and bent to, provide a resilient loop composed of a single convolution, the sides of which are brought together to provide an'entrance'for a L line,i clamping members projecting divergingly from the sides of the loop, each having two sides a connected by a transverse part, and thumb-pieces extending divergingly from the ends of one of the sides ofthe clamping members.

9. A fastener comprising a spring-loop composed of a single convolution, the sides of which are brought together to' provide an entrance for a line, clamping'members extending slantingly from the ends of said sides, adjacent said entrance, and thumb-pieces extending divergingly from sides of the clamping members at points adjacent said entrance.

' 10. A fastener made of a single length of metal and comprising a spring-loop, clamping-members and thumb-pieces radiating from acommon center, the spring-loop being composed of a single convolution having at said center an entrance for a line. 7

7 11. A fastener made of a single length of metal and bent to provide a resilient loop composed of are brought together to provide an entrance for a line, clamping members extending oppositely from the ends of said sidesadjacent said en trance, and thumb pieces extending oppositely from the ends of the clamping-members at'points adjacent said entrance.

HELEN M. CAMP ELL, 

